The Blue Angel is the first and oldest environment-related label for products and services in the world. It focuses on health and safety and environmental impact according to product group.

It certifies the best possible ecological properties of products (except for foods) and services. The Blue Angel is awarded to products distinguishing themselves by greater environmental friendliness than other products serving the same purpose.

The Blue Angel sets standards for product control, transparency of product selection, safe purchasing, and health and safety. The award of the Blue Angel is preceded by a review of the entire life cycle of the products. The level of environmental benefit always depends on the comparative product and, of course, on the use of the product. The Basic Award Criteria for a product are specified for each product group.

www.blauer-engel.de/en/

The bluesign® system is based on the holistic approach of Input Stream Management. It reduces the impact on people and on the environment, ensures responsible use of resources and guarantees the highest level of consumer safety.

Assessments of factories, chemicals, textile and accessory components along the entire value chain as well as consumer products.

A bluesign® system partner has to fulfill the most stringent criteria regarding protection of environment and peoples as well as commit to a continuous improvement of the sustainability performance:

• Consumer safety • Resource productivity• Occupational health and safety • Chemicals management• Water emission • Soil• Air emission • Waste

www.bluesign.com

A multi-attribute standard, C2C certifies products made with materials that are safe for humans and the environment, designed for reutilisation (e.g. recycling or composting), and manufactured using renewable energy, water stewardship and social fairness. Materials are designed for reuse in biological or technological sectors.

Materials, sub-assemblies and finished products. A product receives an achievement level in each category — Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum — with the lowest achievement level representing the product’s overall mark.

Products must be optimized over time to reach higher levels of certification and become ideal C2C products. All materials in a finished product and their chemical ingredients must be identified, then scored on their impact on human and environmental health, and recyclability. Materials are scored on their ability to be reused in biological or technological cycles. The product manufacturing process is evaluated for water effluent, air emissions, energy consumption, worker safety, consumer safety, social criteria, RSL/chemical residues, responsible water use.

www.c2ccertified.org

Organic fibres throughout the supply chain, from on-farm production, through all processing steps, to labelling of the final textile product. Includes environmental requirements, specifies prohibited chemicals, sets social conditions, prohibits genetic modification, protects worker safety and sets chemical residue limits..

GOTS covers textile products throughout the textile supply chain, including fibres, yarns, garments and personal care products. The GOTS logo may only be used if the entire textile value chain is covered by the certification system. There are two label categories – products with 95%+ organic fibres can be labeled as organic, and products with 70-95% organic can be labeled as ‘made with x% organic materials’.

Organic farms produce the fibre to internationally recognised organic standards, they are certified by an approved, third party certification body. GOTS covers the entire processing chain, including manufacturing, dyeing, weaving, knitting, CMT, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution and wholesale. Certification is required except for businesses selling only to the final consumer (B2C) properly labelled GOTS certified goods.

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) covers the use of recycled materials in any product.

The standard may be used with any product that contains at least 20% recycled material, but only products with at least 50% recycled (pre-consumer and / or post-consumer recycled material) may use the GRS logo on consumer facing products.

Information is collected from Material Collectors and Concentrators. Facilities involved in Material Recycling and supply chain members must meet the full requirements of the standard. The standard includes verification that the material are in fact recycled and tracks the material through production. Facilities involved in production must also meet social and environmental requirements. Chemicals identified as toxic are not permitted to be used in the production of GRS products.

www.globalrecycled.org

The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a comprehensive, third-party testing and certification system for textile products. To ensure consumer safety, the textiles can only be certified if all components meet the specified requirements.

The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® label can be awarded to textile raw materials, intermediate products and end products at all stages of production, including textile accessories, dyes and textile auxiliaries.

Every stage of production of raw materials, intermediate products and end products is measured against required criteria. The products are allocated to one of four product classes based on how intensively they will come into contact with the skin. Testing parameters include banning lawfully prohibited, regulated and harmful substances,and ensuring colourfastness and a skin-friendly pH-value to safeguard consumer health. Test criteria are updated annually and go beyond existing legal regulations.

www.oeko-tex.com

The STeP by OEKO-TEX® is a certification system based on a modular analysis of all relevant areas within textile production facilities. STeP provides assessments of sustainable manufacturing conditions and is built upon a benchmarking and scoring system, which enables facilities to build a traceable path to sustainable textile production.

The STeP by OEKO-TEX® tests, audits and certifies environmentally friendly and socially responsible production facilities of all processing stages from fibre production, spinning mills, weaving mills, knitting mills to finishing facilities and manufacturers of ready-made textile items.

STeP by OEKO-TEX® specifically looks at:• Management of chemicals • Environmental protection• Environmental management • Social responsibility• Quality management • Health and safety

The STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification encompasses three different levels describing the extent to which the company has achieved sustainable production and working conditions:• Level 1 = entry level• Level 2 = good implementation with further optimisation potential• Level 3 = exemplary implementation in thesense of a best practice example

www.oeko-tex.com

MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® is an independent textile label for highlighting consumer products and semi-finished products at all levels of the textile chain that are made from materials tested for harmful substances and that have been manufactured by using environmentally friendly processes and under safe and socially responsible working conditions.

The MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® Certification is possible for production facilities of all processing stages from fibre production, spinning mills, weaving mills, knitting mills to finishing facilities and manufacturers of ready-made textile items. Any finished textile items and semi-finished products at all levels of the textile supply chain can be granted the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label, including all kinds of items of clothing and furnishings

There are six STeP core modules that are individually evaluated during the STeP certification on the basis of scoring: management of chemicals, environmental performance, environmental management, occupational health and safety, social responsibility and quality management. The overall scoring for a production facility then results from the average of all module scores.Companies must hold the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® and STeP by OEKO-TEX® certifications in order to to get a MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®, in accordance with the OEKO-TEX® guidelines.

www.madeingreen.com

ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® is an independent certification system by which textile chemical suppliers demonstrate that their products can be used in a sustainable textile production.

The ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® is applicable to chemical products (base by textile, colourants and auxiliaries) as well as their preparations which are foreseen to be used in the textile, clothing and/or closely related industries.

The ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® program offers two distinct yet complementary stages:• Stage 1: Restricted Substance List (RSL) and Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL)

screening• Stage 2: Analytical verification performed in an OEKO-TEX® member institute laboratory

Products passing the requirements of all two processes earn the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® certification and will be entered into the OEKO-TEX® buying guide, which is the OEKO-TEX® central sourcing platform of pre-certified articles and materials.

Products must meet all the standards throughout the entire supply chain to be certified to GOTS. GOTS covers the entire processing chain, including manufacturing, dyeing, weaving, knitting, CMT, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution and wholesale. Includes environmental requirements, specifies prohibited chemicals, sets social conditions, prohibits genetic modification, protects worker safety and sets chemical residue limits. The GOTS logo may only be used if the entire textile value chain is covered by the certification system. Companies trading in GOTS certified products must be certified and inspected by an approved certification body. www.global-standard.org

STANDARD COVERS PRODUCTS REQUIREMENTS

Cotton sustainability standards are verified at the cotton farmer and ginning levels. The cotton farmer level includes soil fertility and water, responsible pesticide use, fair pay, and transparency in exchange of goods. The ginning level includes employment contracts, fair working hours and worker health and safety.

Using a traffic light system, the implementation status is awarded a “red”, “yellow”, or “green” rating, with green representing sustainable management.

The two-tier requirements issued by the CmiA standards contain exclusion criteria that determine whether the smallholder farmers and cotton companies may generally participate in the program. A smallholder farmer or cotton company must meet the minimum requirements including rainfed agriculture, no child labour, ILO standards, no deforestation, regulated pesticide use, no genetically modified seeds, business relationships compliant with OECD guidelines, equal gender pay. Only smallholder farmers who manage a small parcel of land (average 1-3 ha) may participate.

They do not need to meet these immediately, but they are required to develop improvement plans and to demonstrate the progress in development towards sustainable production.

www.cottonmadeinafrica.org

The LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for leather and leather articles of all levels of production. Harmful chemicals used in leather and leather articles at all levels of production, including those that are legal and / or not yet regulated, lead use, and numerous environmentally relevant substance classes.

Examples of articles that can be certified by the LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX® are: semifinished leather products (e.g. Wet-blue, Wet-white, Crust etc.), finished leather, leather fiber material, ready made articles (garments of all types, accessories, leather gloves, leather handbags, leather covers and much more). Some furs apply. There are 4 product classes, for more detail visit www.oeko-tex.com.

DETOX TO ZERO checks the status of a manufacturer’s chemi-cals management systems, completes a full chemical inventory for the DETOX TO ZERO Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL), and checks the quality of their waste water and sludge.

DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX® addresses chemical / environmental performance in tex-tile production processes such as: • Wet spinning, twisting and related processes• Dyeing, printing, finishing, coating and related • Manufacturing of accessories (e.g. zippers, buttons, labels) • Others (e.g. non-agricultural fibre production)

There are 12 priority groups of chemicals that are the focus of DETOX TO ZERO’s MRSL Annex A, which form the basis for chemicals, wastewater and sludge testing. Documents required include: a full chemical management system or policy, inventory of SDS chemicals, wastewater and sludge test report, chemical and environmental hazard emergency plans, staff safety training records, site plan, and license / permits of discharge waste.

www.oeko-tex.com

The CmiA standards are composed of the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). CmiA covers cotton that is grown and processed in participating African partner countries, from the field to the gin. The initiative developed social, environmental and economic standards and criteria in order to improve the living conditions of African smallholders and promote environmentally-friendly cotton production.

The precondition for the certification is that all parts of an article must meet the required criteria in addition to the leather (e.g. textile fabrics, sewing threads, prints, labels etc. as well as non-textile accessories, such as buttons, zip fasteners, rivets etc.). For leather materials, the conditions and criteria of the latest valid LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX® are applied; for non-leather components contained (e.g. textiles, metallic accessories etc.) the requirements of the latest valid STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® have to be fulfilled. After the application and provision of a test sample, an OEKO-TEX® member institute conducts a laboratory test on articles (article groups) based on the OEKO-TEX® criteria catalogue. www.oeko-tex.com

The Soil Association was a founder member of GOTS and is a quarter owner of Global Standard GmbH which manages the GOTS. The certification assesses organic fibres throughout the supply chain, genetic modification, water effluent, worker safety, consumer safety, social criteria, RSL/chemical residues, plus additional standards for leather, skins, and hides.

Soil Association certification is awarded to brands, processors and traders according to GOTS standards and/or Organic Content Standard. In addition, Soil Association Certification’s own standards can be applied to products made from leather, skins, and hides.

Requirements are the same as GOTS and OCS. In addition, Soil Association Certification are able to certify organic farms to globally recognised organic standards. Certified goods must meet the requirements outlined by the GOTS and/or OCS. For products certified to GOTS, the Soil Association Organic symbol can be used, which is the most widely recognised organic symbol in the UK.

www.soilassociation.org

Organic fibres throughout the supply chain, from on-farm production, through all processing steps, to labelling of the final textile product.

GOTS covers textile products throughout the textile supply chain, including fibres, yarns, garments and personal care products. There are two label categories – products with 95%+ organic fibres can be labeled as organic, and products with 70-95% organic can be labeled as ‘made with x% organic materials’.

The Organic Content Standard (OCS) covers the use of certified organically grown materials in any product, including organic raw materials, genetic modification.

The 100 logo may be used for products with at least 95% organically grown material, as long as the remaining percentage is not the same type of material. The Blended logo may be used for products containing at least 5 per cent organically grown material. The remaining percentage may be the same variety of material.

Tracks and documents the purchase, handling and use of certified organically grown material in any product, but does not cover production processes.Products meeting the OCS and containing 95 – 100 (5-95 on blended)per cent organically grown material should be labeled as: ‘Contains organically grown [raw material]’ or ‘contains 100% organically grown [raw material]’ as long as the product does not also contain conventional ingredients of the same raw material.

www.organiccontent.org

The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) covers the use of recycled materials in any product. The standard includes verification that the material is in fact recycled and tracks the material through production.

The 100 logo may be used for products containing at least 95% recycled material, as long as the remaining percentage is not the same type of material. The Blended logo may be used for products containing 5-95% recycled materials.

Verifies that reclaimed material would have otherwise entered the waste stream. Tracks and documents the purchase, handling and use of recycled material in any product, but does not cover production processes.Products meeting the RCS and containing 95-100% (5-95% blended) of recycled material should be labeled as: ‘Contains X% recycled [raw material]’ ‘contains 100% recycled [raw material]’ as long as the product does not also contain virgin ingredients of the same raw material.

www.recycledclaim.org

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V-Label an internationally recognised, registered symbol for labelling vegan, vegetarian products and services, to promote transparency and clarity under their standardised criteria.

Vegetarian and/or vegan products licensed with the V-Label are inspected for their composition, as well as each individual production step involved in the development of a product. Mono-products such as teas, spices and mineral water and raw foods such as unprocessed vegetables are always plant-based and do not need to be specially labelled with this standard.

Vegetarian: Food and other products that do not contain animals or parts of animals, but created with the help of living animals and animal-derived products. Vegan: Food and other products that do not contain animals or parts of animals, and must not be created with the help of living animals or animal-derived products in all production and processing steps. The V-Label is never licensed in the following cases: (a) Products declared as containing GMOs; (b) Products containing eggs from caged hens. For more info visit www.v-label.eu

UNSDGS

Parallel to the IVN certificate for textiles, IVN Naturleder works to assure a high quality standard based on a technically and ecologically advanced level for its certified leather products.

The guidelines for NATURLEDER address all production stages from raw material to sale and use of the finished leather (not the finished leather products).

Everything from environmental impact and health issues for both the persons in the production process as well as those who use them, individual hazardous substances as well as their disposal and potential recycling of goods are monitored and documented. Wild or endangered animals may not be used for NATURLEDER products. Preservation and cleaning must be done with cooling and salting, not through the use of chemical conserving agents. The use of chrome as well as tanning with mineral tanning agents is prohibited. Regulations are also in place for overlaying, dyeing and finishing.

www.naturtextil.com

Naturtextil IVN Certified BEST sets the highest requirements for textile ecology by applying the maximum currently achievable levels of ecological production. This quality standard is much higher than current legal mandates within the European Union. It is the quality seal with the strictest requirements for ecological textile production and represents the highest technical level currently available.

Since 2000, BEST reflects the standards developed and implemented by iVN for Eco-friendly textiles, inspecting the entire textile chain both in terms of ecology and social accountability.

The company must implement an environmental policy. It lists measures to minimise and monitor waste and pollution, specifies action in the case of waste or contamination and documents employee training regarding economic use of water and energy, the correct minimised use and appropriate disposal of chemicals as well as programs to improve production processes. Textiles must be 100% natural and originate in certified organic production (kbA) or certified organic animal husbandry (kbT). Synthetic fibers, for example elastic fibers, acrylic or rayon can only be used up to 5% for accessories or (as exception) in elastic fabrics used for example for ribbing or lace.

www.naturtextil.com

GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals is a method for chemical hazard assessment designed to identify chemicals of high concern and safer alternatives in products and processes.

GreenScreen has been adopted in a number of certification programs and standards focused on increasing sustainability when using chemicals at all production stages.

The Benchmark scores provide a high level indicator and the Hazard Summary Table provides specific information on relevant hazards. Manufacturers can acquire two credits – one through disclosure and the other through the elimination of highly hazardous chemical ingredients -- using GreenScreen to evaluate and communicate hazards. To earn the disclosure credit, companies must identify all ingredients in products present at or above certain thresholds. Chemical identity for proprietary ingredients can be redacted if a GreenScreen List Translator score or GreenScreen Benchmark is reported, along with chemical hazards, ingredient role and amount.

www.greenscreenchemicals.org

The Responsible Wool Standard provides the industry with a tool to recognize the best practices of farmers; ensuring that wool comes from farms with a progressive approach to managing their land, and from sheep that have been treated responsibly.

RWS provide a robust chain of custody system from farm to final product so that consumers are confident that the wool in the products they choose is truly RWS Certified.

In order for products to be RWS certified, each facility in the supply chain must have been certified, up to the seller in the last business-to-business transaction. Under this standard certified products may be 100% certified wool or blended certified wool containing from 5 – 99% percentage of certified material. Final products containing non-certified wool are not permited to be labelled with the RWS name or logo.

responsiblewool.org

ZQ Merino FibresTM meet the standards in the areas of animal welfare, environmental care, and social sustainability via a traceable supply chain. ZQ MerinoTM Fibres were created under The ZQ Merino Programme, a responsible merino standard launched by The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM).

ZQ MerinoTM Fibres are high-quality fibres from ZQ Merino accredited farms. They can be used by spinning, weaving, knitting and textile mills, as well as garment producers. Qualities include a fine, soft and silky hand; UV protection; renewable and biodegradable.

Accredited farms are audited every 3-5 years to ensure animal welfare and fair trade principles. The fibres are then supplied to brand partners via a forward contract. These forward contracts provide price stability for brand partners and growers, and enable investment and innovation in Merino production and programmes. The maintenance of ZQ Merino accreditation is dependent on ongoing compliance determined through third-party auditing. Auditing includes self assessments and on farm auditing, where sheep, farms and facilities are visually inspected. The ZQ accreditation programme requires growers to take account of their animals five basic freedoms, as described in both The Animal Welfare Act 1999 and the Animal Welfare (Sheep and Beef Cattle) Code of Welfare 2010, including no mulesing. www.zqmerino.co.nz

PEFC is an international, independent organisation promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification.

The necessary checks need to be implemented to verify that sourced material is certified – production of certified goods requires procurement of certified material.

The personnel responsible for performing the tasks which will affect the implementation and maintenance of the chain of custody, e.g, buyers, marketing and sales personnel, must be identified, briefed and trained. The records to prove that all systems comply with requirements must be properly maintained. Internal audits must be conducted on an annual basis. The management systems in place outlining procedures must ensure compliance with the PEFC International Chain of Custody standard, PEFC Standard 2002:2013. This information can be integrated into existing systems your company may have already implemented, such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 procedures.

www.pefc.org

FSC® Chain of Custody certification traces wood through the supply chain, thereby ensuring that the fibres are not coming from ancient and endangered forests but that a forest must be managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. Forests are inspected and certified against strict standards based on FSC’s 10 Principles of Forest Stewardship. These inspections are undertaken by independent organisations.

FSC helps take care of forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. The FSC system can help businesses and consumers to choose wood, paper and other forest products such as cork and latex, from well-managed forests and/or verified and recycled sources.

To apply you have to Contact FSC accredited certification bodies to request quotes, submit a certification application to the FSC certification body of your choice, ensure that an appropriate FM/CoC or CoC Management System is in place, undergo an on-site audit by your chosen certification body, gain certification approval and receipt of FSC certification code (XXX-COC-000000) and trademark licence code (FSC-C000000). Forests are inspected and certified against strict standards based on FSC’s 10 Principles of Forest Stewardship. These inspections are undertaken by independent organisations. You can apply for either chain of custody certification or Forest Management Certification. FSC certificates are valid for five years.www.fsc-uk.org

The Detox campaign was launched in 2011 by Greenpeace to eradicate hazardous chemicals in the supply chain. By signing up to the Greenpeace Detox protocol, companies are committing to eliminating a set list of hazardous chemicals by 2020.

This commitment affects the entire supply chain and sets strict standards on monitoring control inputs (formulations) and outputs (wastewater, products, etc). The goal, Detox “Zero” means no detectable toxic chemicals in any product by current technology.

In order to be credible, the commitment needs to be based on the previous three fundamental principles:

• Zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals – This means eliminating all releases: whether via waste water pipe discharges, other production emissions (e.g. air and solid wastes)

• Prevention and Precaution – This means taking preventative action towards the elimination of hazardous chemicals in the face of scientific uncertainty

• Right to know – This means that brands and their supply chains need to be fully transparent and that they need to publicly disclose information.

www.greenpeace.org/international/act/detox

The standard applies to farms, slaughter houses, transportation, small farmer groups, and each step in the supply chain. The farmers, slaughterhouses, and transportation entities are required to meet animal criteria based on the Five Animal Freedoms:• Freedom from hunger or thirst• Freedom from discomfort• Freedom from pain, injury or disease• Freedom to express (most) normal behavior• Freedom from fear and distressChain of custody is required to maintain the identity of certified down through to the final product.www.responsibledown.org

ECOCERT primarily certifies food and food products, but also certifies cosmetics, detergents, perfumes, and textiles. The company inspects about 70% of the organic food industry in France and about 30% worldwide. ECOCERT is also a leading certifier of fair trade food, cosmetics and textiles as per ECOCERT Fair Trade standards, operating in over 80 countries around the world.

Products labelled “organic” must meet the regulation requirements on agriculture and organic produce in its country or region. The product is then inspected and certified by Ecocert who ensures product traceability throughout the value chain: production, processing, packaging, storage and distribution. The criteria defining an organic agricultural product are as follows:• Organic agricultural products: grown avoiding the use of chemical fertilisers or synthetic products,

in ground fertilised with organic fertilisers and natural minerals favourable to life within the soil, application of the precautionary principle.

• Animals: predominantly fed on organic feed, non-intensive husbandry, reared with access to the open air, maximum living space.

• Processed products: made from controlled organically-sourced farm ingredients and eventually from non-agricultural ingredients as authorised by European regulations or NOP.

www.ecocert.com

The EU Ecolabel identifies products as having a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw material through to production, use and disposal. The Certification is recognised throughout Europe.

The EU Ecolabel covers a wide range of product groups, including materials and manufacturing. Key experts, in consultation with main stakeholders, develop the criteria for each product group in order to decrease the main environmental impacts over the entire life cycle of the product. Because the life cycle of every product and service is different, the criteria are tailored to address the unique characteristics of each product type.

Cotton that is independently certified under the FAIR-TRADE Cotton Mark meets robust social, economic and environmental Fair trade Standards. This covers better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

Certifies cotton producer organisations and supply chain operators which process the cotton, helping them to make the most of business opportunities. This includes, but is not restricted to ginning, spinning, weaving, knitting, cut, make and trim stages.

Fairtrade encourages sustainable cotton production and is the only standard to provide economic benefits, through a guaranteed Fairtrade Minimum Price and additional Fairtrade Premium for seed cotton farmers. Businesses can also sign on to The Fairtrade Cotton Program to buy more cotton on Fairtrade terms and expand market access under Fairtrade terms for more farmers.

www.fairtrade.org.uk

Founded in 1951, ECOCERT® is an independent French body for organic inspection and certification which performs quality control by ensuring that all product specifications are strictly adhered to.

Every four years on average, the criteria are revised to reflect technical innovation such as evolution of materials, production processes or in emission reduction and changes in the market. To qualify for the EU Ecolabel, products have to comply with a tough set of criteria. These environmental criteria take the whole product life cycle into account - from the extraction of the raw materials, production, packaging transport, right through to end use and recycling. This life cycle approach guarantees that the products’ main environmental impacts are reduced.

ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/

Fairtrade Textile Standard aims to include the workers who manufacture textiles by facilitating best practices in the textile supply chains so workers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods. It is also a processing standard for Fairtrade cotton and other sustainable fibres.

The Fairtrade Textile Standard guidelines apply to all certified operators in the textile supply chain, regardless of the product a company wants to certify. They also apply to the companies or brands that manufacture the products using certified supply chains. Licence Agreements engage brands and companies selling the final products to pay a fair price and agree to fair terms.

Living wages must be paid within a set time period of six years and brand owners are contractually responsibly for fair and long-term purchasing practices. All supply chain actors including brands need to establish fair, reliable and predictable contract arrangements for the improvement of workers’ conditions. Applicable in only countries where Freedom of Association is possible. The standard is open to other responsible fibres, in addition to Fairtrade cotton, as determined by the Fairtrade Responsible Fibre Criteria. All subcontractors must be registered and agree to audits.

www.fairtrade.org.uk

The Responsible Down Standard aims to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to an unnecessary harm.

The down and feathers used for insulation in consumer products, such as jackets, coats, blankets, and other insulation.

This symbol indicates that a product or package is USDA Certified Biobased. The biobased contents of these products/packages are third-party tested at independent laboratories.

Biobased products are derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials and provide an alternative to conventional petroleum derived products. Biobased products include diverse categories such as lubricants, cleaning products, inks, fertilizers, and bioplastics. For purposes of the BioPreferred program, biobased products do not include food, animal feed, or fuel.

A business with a biobased product that meets USDA criteria may apply for certification, allowing them to display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on the product. This label assures a consumer that the product contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients (referred to as biobased content). Consumers can trust the label to mean what it says because manufacturer’s claims concerning the biobased content are third-party certified and strictly monitored by USDA.

www.biopreferred.gov

IWTO offers standards and test methods for the measurement of wool fibre, yarn and fabric properties. Since 2012, IWTO collates various Life Cycle Analysis data and information from across the wool industry to provide a better informed assessment of the environmental attributes of wool fibre.

Full Test methods provide the objective, technical and scientific measurements required for issuing IWTO test certificates. As regards wool’s environmental credentials, wool’s LCAs now look at all areas of the industry on a cradle-to-cradle basis.

Standards and test methods cover all stages of the wool supply chain, from greasy wool to scoured wool, carded wool, sliver, top, yarn and fabric. IWTO collates and analyses LCA data from various stages of the supply chain including co-products within the sheep production system, water footprints, product wear life, recycling and carbon cycles. IWTO test certificates can be obtained from IWTO licensing labs. All standards and specifications can be found in the IWTO Red and White Book. The report on wool’s LCAs can be downloaded from the IWTO website.

www.iwto.org

Fairwear Foundation (FWF) works with brands and industry influencers to improve the working conditions where clothes are made. FWF is active in 11 production countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.

FWF focuses on everything after fabric production. This means, the factories that make fabric into clothing, shoes, bags and other sewn goods: the cut, make, trim (CMT) and supporting processes of making a garment, such as finishing. This is a very labour-intensive part of the supply chain and the stage at which clothing brands have the most influence.

FWF verifies at factory level and implements a complaints procedure in all countries where it is active to serve as a safety net. Finally, FWF also verifies at the company level to check whether companies implement the FWF Code of Labour Practices in their management systems effectively. Membership is open to European garment companies with: (a) Minimum annual turnover of €2.5 m; (b) More than 50% production in countries where FWF is active. Production that takes place in countries where FWF does not require full audits can also count towards the required 50%; (c) At least 50% own production. Companies do not need to already be engaged in CSR at an advanced level in order to join; FWF’s process approach meets companies where they are.

www.fairwear.org

The SA8000® Standard is an auditable certification that encourages organisations to develop, maintain, and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace. The certification covers: child labour, forced or compulsory labour, health and safety, freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, remuneration, and management system.

SA8000 applies to any organisation (i.e. brands, organisational buyers, independent codes of conduct, private sector initiatives, industry leaders) that has a rigorous approach to ensuring the highest quality of social compliance in their supply chains, all the while with-out sacrificing business interests.

The SA8000® Standard evaluation comprises of reviews of documentation, working practices, employee interview responses, and operational records. The SA8000 Standard criteria are based on the principles of international human rights norms as described in International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The eight performance criteria require that facilities seeking to gain and maintain certification must go beyond simple compliance to the standard.www.sa-intl.org/sa8000

STANDARD COVERS PRODUCTS REQUIREMENTS AIM TO MEET UNSDGs:

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